Administration

Accounting book of the compositions acquired by Casa Ricordi, the so-called “libroni"

The archive includes documents about the history of the publishing house from the 200 years of its existence. First of all, we have Giovanni Ricordi's â€œlibri mastriâ€, which span the time from 1814 until the mid-19th century and which summarize and document all contracts concluded. There are also documents from the 100-year existence of the company's copperplate engraving school; handwritten lists of all editions acquired by Ricordi from 1808 until the present day; a large number of the publishing catalogs published by Ricordi and by the publishers bought up by Ricordi; press reviews with a collection of reviews; original contracts with composers and librettists including Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini, Franco Alfano, Gian Carlo Menotti, Arrigo Boito, Luigi Illica, Sem Benelli and Arturo Rossato. Finally, there are documents that show Giovanni and Tito Ricordi's commitment to copyright for authors: newspaper clippings, articles and letters. One cultural-historical curiosity to be admired in the archive is the collection of lead printing plates from the 19th century.

Promissory note to Giovanni Ricordi, for the purchase of musical material, Pisa, 4 May 1811

Page of the so-called "mastrino" ledger, kept by Giovanni Ricordi, concerning years 1814-1816

Page of one of the so-called "libroni", production ledgers of the new compositions acquired by Casa Ricordi